PDP Crisis: How G-5 Alliance May Affect Makinde’s Second-Term Bid

 The second term bid of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is being threatened by the continued insistence of the G-5 governor to work against former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Makinde is the only first-term governor among the quintet – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Samuel Ortom (Benue).

Although Ortom, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu are seeking senatorial seats, Makinde’s ambition is the most threatened considering the dynamics of Oyo politics.

The state is controlled by many political gladiators that it is difficult for a single politician to be the major determinant in an election.

Makinde won the 2019 election on the strength of a coalition of gladiators who wanted to oust the then-ruling APC and stop late Abiola Ajimobi from installing a successor.

Despite Makinde’s insistence on not supporting Atiku, some leaders of the PDP in the state, including a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Wole Oyelese, and a former Minister of State for FCT, Chief Olajumoke Akinjide, have all declared support for Atiku.

An Ibadan-based political affairs commentator, Rasheed Olanrewaju, said if not well-managed, the opposition might take advantage of the crisis in the PDP to take over the state.

“Seyi and his advisers need to think through their actions. It is a dicey situation. If Tinubu wins the presidential election, the momentum might favour APC in the state, especially those PDP leaders working for Atiku who might work against the governor to pay him back.

“If Atiku wins without Seyi’s support, it is also dicey because the APC candidate, Teslim Folarin still enjoys a good relationship with some leaders in the PDP, where he was until 2017. So they can decide to work for him and negotiate his return to the party after the poll, ensuring PDP still controls the state. Some PDP stalwarts are already campaigning for him,” he said.

2023: 'God Forbids I Work, Romance With APC, PDP' - Kwankwaso

 former Governor of Kano State and presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has debunked rumours that he is working for another party coming 2023 general election.

Mr. Kwankwasko stated this while responding to questions from some of his supporters while featuring on a live radio program in Dutse, Jigawa State.

He said since he and his supporters joined the NNPP, some people have been concocting different kinds of lies just for their political reasons.

According to him, “I heard that some people are saying Northern elders met me and asked me to step down for a Northern candidate and some are saying I am romancing with APC.


“Who can tell us about Arewa? Who knows Arewa better than us? These are candidates that have issues with their qualifications and health.”

He explained that the news was baseless and was concocted by miscreants for political reasons to distract Nigerians.

“God forbid I work or romance with APC, PDP, I am for NNPP, there is no going back.

“This is a golden opportunity for all Nigerians if they want things to change for the better. NNPP is the answer and if they want things to continue, so be it,” he added.

Rotimi Amaechi: I Never Said I Won't Support Tinubu, Muslim-Muslim Ticket

 Former Minister of Transportation and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),  Rotimi Amaechi has denied claims that he will soon dump the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Umar Sani, a former Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Vice President Namadi Sambo had on Twitter programme HardTalk disclosed that the former Rivers State Governor had said as a devout Catholic, he cannot support a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket being paraded by the APC.

"I'm glad to tell you that in Rivers state, PDP has gotten Amaechi because he (Amaechi) said he is a Catholic and will not support Muslim-Muslim ticket. He is going to support PDP" 

"So if there is somebody who can match Wike madness for madness, boxing for boxing, it's Amaechi" Sani said . 

When contacted by DAILY INDEPENDENT, Amaechi denied the claim, saying he never said anything like that.

" He is lying. There was never any time I said anything like that" the former chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum" said.

Pele's Funeral To Be Held At Santos Stadium On January 2nd & 3rd

 Pele's funeral will take place inside the Santos stadium next week Monday January 2 and Tuesday January 3rd, the Brazilian club said, when fans will be able to pay their final respects to the football legend.

The Brazilian legend, whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, died Thursday at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer, sparking an outpouring of tributes from around the world.

His body will go straight from the Albert Einstein Hospital to Estádio Urbano Caldeira in Vila Belmiro at dawn on Monday and the coffin will be placed in the centre of the pitch. The public wake is expected to begin at 10am.

The ceremony will continue until 10am on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, when the parade will take place through the streets of Santos.

Pele died at the age of 82 following a long battle with colon cancer. He had been in hospital since late last month.


Pele had a colon tumour removed in September 2021. Neither his family nor the hospital have said whether it had spread to other organs. He returned to the Albert Einstein hospital on November 29 with Covid-19 and a respiratory infection.

Daughter Kely Nascimento confirmed his passing with a social media post that said: 'Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.'

Tinubu Strikes Deal With G-5 Governors

 Indication emerged on Thursday that the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has struck a deal with the members of the G-5, the five aggrieved governors who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Daily Trust had exclusively reported on Wednesday that Tinubu and the five governors will meet in Europe where a deal on their alliance for the 2023 presidency would be struck.

An impeccable source close to Tinubu told this paper that the meeting was held on Wednesday at the London residence of the APC presidential candidate. 

He said all the G-5 governors; Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), attended the meeting. 

In attendance from the side of Tinubu included Governor of Jigawa State, Badaru Abubakar and former governor of Ekiti State, John Kayode Fayemi. 

Before the commencement of the meeting, the source said all other persons present at Tinubu’s residence were excused. 


“We have agreed to work together with the G5. The agreement rhythm with our desire to forge together a government of national unity. 

“When the history of this political epoch is written, the names of Wike, Ortom, Makinde, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu will be written in gold for the courageous decision to place national interest above all other considerations,” he said. 

He also said that the governors are to remain in PDP and work for the actualisation of Tinubu’s presidency while pursuing their other political interests.

Why Muslims Do Not Celebrate And Congratulate Non-muslims On Their Festivals?

No doubt, we have friends, teachers and colleagues among non-Muslims. We engage and collaborate when it comes to worldly affairs. We even congratulate them on their success. This is fine and humanly!

We have a lot of non-Muslim teachers we respect them a lot - we benefitted a lot from them in terms of knowledge and experience. We do not sever our relationship with them!

Also, we have a lot of non-muslims as friends and colleagues at work. We cherish and wish them well. We congratulate them when they achieve great things in life.

In essence, Islam enjoys being good to all the creatures of Allah - human beings, whether a Muslim or non-Muslims. Even animals!

However, when it comes to the issue of beliefs, Muslims are not to compromise. In Islam (as it is contained in other religions/beliefs), there are dos/don't and red lines we shouldn't cross. Some of them include things we are prohibited from doing such as celebrating any non-islamic festivals and wishing those doing them. This is not limited to non-Muslim festivals only. It also includes all the innovated festivals some Muslims celebrate, such as Mawlud Nabiyy, Islamic Calendar year, etc (you see some Muslims and I have made some threads condemning these too). For any festival to be Islamic, there must be evidence for it from the Holy book (Qur'an) or Sunnah! We celebrate both Eids because there are account for them!

Based on the above, congratulating the non-Muslims on their religious festivals is haraam because it implies that one accepts or approves of their rituals of kufr, even if one would not accept those things for oneself. 

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you. . ."
[al-Zumar 39:7]

". . . This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion . . ."
[al-Maa'idah 5:3]

So to congratulate non-Muslims on their festival is forbidden if you're truly a Muslim. You can congratulate them on any worldly achievements so far it has nothing to do with their beliefs. 

Also, it is haraam (forbidden) to accept invitations on such festivals, because this is worse than congratulating them as it implies taking part in their celebrations.

We ask Allah to make us steadfast, safe us hypocrisy and from displeasing our creator at the expense of His creatures (human beings) (Aameen).

13 Things To Know About Late Football Legend Pele

 Brazil football legend, Pele, who died on Thursday at the age of 82, was regarded as the game’s greatest player.

Pele was the best-loved footballer of his or any other generation, the eternal master of the beautiful game.

Here are 13 things to know about Pele:

1. Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento in October 1940, Pele played his first game for Santos as a 15-year-old in 1956.

2. Pele won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970. His sumptuous range of skills made him the embodiment of his country’s golden age of football.

3. When Pele finally retired in 1977, he had scored more than 1,000 goals.

4. Pele scored 77 for Brazil, a mark only equalled at the recent World Cup by Neymar.

5. Pele’s impact on his sport went far beyond the pitch as he also became a money-making phenomenon, lending his name to sportswear, credit cards and watches among an array of products.

6. Pele earned a call-up to the national team in 1957, scoring on his debut against Argentina. In 1958, he was picked for the World Cup in Sweden.

7. Still only 17, Pele had become the youngest World Cup winner in history. The next two tournaments, however, were to be unhappy experiences.

8. Twenty-one by the time of the 1962 World Cup in Chile, an older, stronger Pele had been expected to take the tournament by storm.

9. Though he was to continue playing club football for his beloved Santos and later the New York Cosmos, Pele retired from international duty in 1971, making an emotional farewell in front of 180,000 fans at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.

10. In 1977, he inspired New York to the national title in his final season with the club which featured fellow greats Franz Beckenbauer, Italian striker Giorgio Chinaglia and former Brazil captain Carlos Alberto.

11. He appeared in the 1981 film, Escape to Victory, about Allied Prisoners of War during World War II along with the likes of Michael Caine, Sylvester Stallone and Moore.

12. Between 1995 and 1998, he was even Brazil’s Extraordinary Minister for Sport, while he also regularly appeared in public as an ambassador for numerous commercial brands.

13. He married for the third time in 2016, tying the knot with Marcia Aoki.